Luggage bag



May 19, 1970 M. o. TEETOR 3,512,621

LUGGAGE BAG Filed Dec. 6, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 38 1 Y a: I 17 I I I i1\\ IQ, I

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f7 Ofeefm; 70 5 4%M M. Q. TEETOR May 19, 1970 LUGGAGE BAG Filed Dec. 6, 1966 3 Sheets- Sheet '2 5 fnve nZa v'.'- jyac M,

May 19, 1970 M. o. TEETOR 3,

LUGGAGE BAG Filed Dec. 6, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,512,621 LUGGAGE BAG Macy 0. Teetor, 24 Orpheum Ave., Metairie, La. 70005 Filed Dec. '6, 1966, Ser. No. 599,607 Int. Cl. A45c 3/00 US. Cl. 190-49 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A luggage bag having a generally rectangular, rigid frame which serves as the primary structural element of the bag and which is enclosed by a flexible material cover. The frame also serves as a mounting for a rope carrying handle, a pair of spaced floor engageable pads, and a hanger support assembly. A plurality of hangers are releasably retained by the hanger support assembly, and an extensible and retractable hook is carried by the hanger support assembly to permit the bag to be hung from an elevated support. Elastic cords extend between opposite pairs of the side portions of the frame, for engaging and confining garments within the periphery of the frame when the bag is in use.

This invention relates to luggage, and more particularly to a hand carried luggage bag for transporting garments in an unwrinkled condition.

One of the problems encountered by travelers carrying hand luggage is that of wrinkling or creasing of garments and other clothing articles carried in the luggage. To overcome this, various types of luggage bags have been developed, some of which do not require any folding whatsoever of the garments carried therein while others require only minimum folding. However, such bags have not proven entirely satisfactory, for various reasons, such as excessive size, high cost, or lack of adequate protection of the garments contained therein.

Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved lugagge bag for transporting articles of clothing, or the like, without wrinkling or creasing and which overcomes the foregoing disadvantages.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved luggage bag of the foregoing character, which is capable of functioning as a wardrobe while suspended from an elevated support, such as a door.

A further object is to provide a novel luggage bag of the foregoing character, which is simple in construction, efiicient in operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying sheets of drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a luggage bag embodying the features of the present invention and showing the bag as it would appear when closed and resting on a horizontal surface;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the luggage bag shown in FIG. 1 and showing the latter as it would appear when still closed but suspended in a vertically extending position from an elevated support, such as the upper edge of a door;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged elevational view of the interior of the luggage bag shown in FIG. 2 as the latter would appear when open, the bag being fully packed and having an accessory clothes bag mounted therein;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the accessory clothes bag shown in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views similar to FIG. 3, but showing additional details of the interior of the bag and the manner in which garments are arranged therein;

3,512,621 Patented May 19, 1970 FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the line 77 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the upper central portion of the bag shown in FIG. 3, and showing additional details of the mounting for the accessary bag and garment hangers; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are sectional views taken along the lines 9-9 and 1010 of FIG. 8.

Briefly described, the present invention contemplates a novel luggage bag having a rigid, generally rectangular frame as its main structural element. Such frame is enclosed by a flexible material cover and serves as the main support and common mounting for the various internal and external components of the bag, such as a plurality of removable clothes hangers and a removable accessory clothesbag. Resilient retaining means in the form of a pair of elongated elastic members span the open area of the 'frame and are adapted to engage the outer surface portions of the contents of the bag for holding the contents within the periphery of the frame and in a compressed but unwrinkled condition during transit.

The frame also serves as a mounting for handle means for hand carrying the bag and for support pads for supporting the bag in an erect position along one side thereof when the bag is rested on a horizontal surface. An extensible and retractable hook means for supporting the bag from an elevated support is also mounted on the frame, such hook means facilitating packing of the bag and permitting its use as a wardrobe, if desired.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a luggage bag 10 embodying the features of the present invention, is illustraetd. In FIGS. 1, the bag is shown as it would appear when resting in an erect position on a floor or other horizontal support surface, while in FIG. 2 the bag is shown as it would appear when hanging in a vertically extending position from an elevated support, such as from the upper horizontal edge, indicated at 11, of a door 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2, the bag 10 comprises a support member in the form of a rigid, generally rectangular frame 15 having opposite side portions 16, 17 and 18, 19, disposed 'at the left, right, top and bottom, respectively, of the bag when the latter is positioned as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, i.e. when hanging from an elevated support. The frame 15 is preferably of metal, such as tubular aluminum alloy, but could be of any other suitable material.

The frame 15 is enclosed by a flexible material cover, indicated generally at 21, having opposite side portions 22, 23 and 24, 25 disposed at the left, right, top and bottom, respectfully, of the bag as viewed in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, and front and rear portions 26 and 27. The cover 21 may be secured to the frame 15 in any desired manner but is preferably secured thereto by the various structural components of the bag as well become apparent as the description proceeds.

Access to the interior of the bag is achieved by rolling up or folding back the front portion 26 of the cover which is provided with a slide fastener 28 along three of its four sides to permit such manipulation. The front portion 26 may be maintained in a rolled up condition as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, by a strap 29 having a snap fastener (not shown) at one end thereof engageable With the side portion 24 of the cover.

In order to permit the bag 10 to be rested on a horizontal surface, such as a floor, at least one and preferably a pair of spaced support pads 32 are rigidly secured to one of the side portions of the frame, in this instance the side portion 16. The support pads 32 may be of any suitable material and shape but are preferably of aluminum stock bent to the shape shown in FIGS. 2 and 7. Each pad 32 may be secured directly to the side portion 16 of the frame but is preferably secured to another plate 33 (FIG. 7) which is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the outer periphery of the side portion 16 of the frame so as to lie in a plane perpendicular to that of the frame 15. The pads 32 may be secured to the plate members 33 by suitable fasteners, such as screws or bolts 34, which extend through the material of the side portion 22 of the cover 21 and engage the plate members 33.

To facilitate hand carrying of the bag 10, handle means is provided. Such handle means preferably comprises at least one and preferably two parallel lengths of rope 36 extending through openings in the side portion 23 of the cover 21 and secured at their respective ends to the side portion 17 of the frame 15. To facilitate such securement, a plate 37 (FIGS. 6 and 7) may be welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the inner periphery of the side portion 17 and provided with two pairs of spaced openings, one pair on each side of the frame portion 17, for receiving the respective ends of the ropes 36. The ends of the ropes 36 are preferably provided with enlarged abutments or anchors 38 to prevent disengagement of the ropes 36 from the plate member 37. Reinforcing grommets 39 (FIG. 1) may be provided around the openings in the side portion 23 of the cover at the points where the end portions of the ropes 36 extend therethrough.

In order to facilitate packing and transportation of garments or other articles in the bag 10, the frame 15 includes support means for receiving and releasably retaining at least one and preferably a plurality of garment supporting hangers 42. Thus, and as best seen in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8-10, inclusive, such support means preferably comprises a rectangular plate 43 Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the inner periphery of the frame portion 18 so as to lie in a plane perpendicular to that of the frame 15. A pair of spaced tubes 44, preferably square in cross-section and extending perpendicular to the frame portion 18, are welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the underside of the plate 43, the front and rear ends of the tubes 44 being closed by plates 46 and 47 respectively, which may be formed from the material of the tubes.

The underside, indicated at 48, of each tube 44 is provided with a central slot 52 which extends longitudinally of the tube between the end plates 46 and 47, each slot 52 having a width such as to slidably receive the shank portion, indicated at 53, of a hook 54 swingably secured to the apex of each hanger 42. An abutment in the form of a ball 56 is formed on the remote end of the shank portion 53 of the hook 54 to retain the hanger in a tube 44 after the ball 56 is positioned in the tube.

Insertion of a ball 56 into or removal thereof from the interior of the tube 44 to effect engagement or disengagement of a hanger 42 is achieved by the provision of at least one keyhole shaped opening 57 in each tube. Preferably, two keyhole shaped openings 57 are provided in one of the side walls, indicated at 58, of each tube 44 and another keyhole shaped opening 57 is provided in the front end plate 46 of each tube. The lower ends of the openings 57 in the tube side wall 58 are connected to the slot 52 by transverse slots 59 (FIGS. 9 and 10).

As heretofore mentioned, each hook 54 is swingably connected, as at 62, intermediate the length of its shank portion 53, to the apex of its associated hanger 42 so that the hook 54 may be readily engaged with a conventional support bar when removed from the bag 10 merely by swinging the hook 54 to its opposite position on the frame of the hanger 42 so as to interchange the positions of the ball 56 and hook portion. The swingable connection 62 of each hook 54 to its associated hanger 42 is preferably obtained by wrapping a portion of the shank portion 53 around the hanger apex.

Due to the fact that a pair of tubes 44 are provided, the hangers 42 may be alternated between the tubes as they are mounted in the bag, thereby preventing adjacent garments mounted on the hangers 42 from directly overlying each other. Thus, when bulky garments, such as mens 4 suit coats, indicated at C1, C2 and C3 in FIG. 7, are mounted in laterally offset or staggered relation in the bag 10, a substantial reduction in the overall thickness of the contents of the bag is achieved.

In addition to the hangers 42, the bag 10 also includes at least one accessory clothes bag, indicated generally at 70 in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7-9, inclusive. The bag 70 is preferably of the same general shape as the interior of the bag 10 and comprises a generally rectangular fabric divider 72 which is peripherally reinforced by a rigid metal frame 73 (FIGS. 3, 8 and 9). A plurality of pockets 76 having transparent windows 77 therein are sewed or otherwise secured to each side of the divider 72 for receiving miscellaneous articles of clothing, such as shirts, stockings, shoes, etc. The free edges, indicated at 78, of the pockets 76 are preferably elastic to retain articles placed in the pockets.

The accessory bag 70 is mounted in the bag 10 by a pivotally mounted hook assembly 80, illustrated in detail in FIG. 8. The hook assembly 80 is similar in construction to the hooks 54 of the hangers 42, but differs therefrom in that it includes a bifurcated shank having two portions, each indicated at 82. Each shank portion 82 is swingably connected, as at 83, to an exposed portion of the reinforcing frame 73 of the divider 72 by wrapping a portion of the shank portion 82 around the frame 73, and an abutment in the form of a ball 84 is formed on the remote end of each shank portion 82 to permit the bag 70 to be supported by both of the tubes 44 when mounted in the bag 10. Because of the swingable connection of the hook assembly 80 with the frame 73 of the divider 72, the accessory bag 70 may be readily engaged with and supported by a conventional support bag when the bag 70 is removed from the bag 10, merely by swinging the hook assembly 80 about the portion of the frame 73 on which it is mounted and engaging the hook portion, indicated at 86, of the assembly 80 with the bar.

In order to permit the bag 10- to hang from an elevated support such as the door 12, as illustrated in FIG. 2, an extensible and retractable hook means is provided. As best seen in FIGS. 2, and 8 through 10, inclusive. the extensible and retractable hook means 90 includes a hook portion 91 and an elongated shank portion 92 extending loosely through an enlarged opening 93 in the plate 43 and an aligned opening in the side portion 24 of the cover 21. The opening in the side portion 24 may be reinforced with a metal grommet 94 (FIG. 9) to prevent wear. The remote end, indicated at 96 in FIGS. 2 and 8, of the hook portion 91 extends parallel to the shank portion 92 for extension through another opening in the end portion 24 of the cover and an aligned opening 97 in the plate 43 when the hook means 90 is retracted into the bag, as illustrated in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 9, and in dashed lines in FIG. 8. The opening. in the end portion 24 in the cover through which end 96 of the hook portion 91 extends may also be reinforced with a grommet 94. The book portion 91, and a part of the shank portion 92 may be wrapped or otherwise covered with a layer of protective material, such as rubber to prevent marring of a surface from which the bag 10 is hung, such as the upper edge 11 of the door 12. It will be understood that when the bag 10 is to be mounted on an elevated support, such as the upper edge 11 of the door 12, and the hook means 90 has been extended, the latter is rotated through an angle of 90 about an axis through the shank portion 92 to permit the hook portion 91 to engage the edge 11.

The hook means 90' may be retained in its retracted position in the bag 10 by means of a strap 102 (FIGS. 1 and 2). In the present instance, the strap 102 is secured at one end to the end 24 of the cover, the other end of the strap being provided with a snap fastener 103 for detachably securing the strap 102 in a position holding the hook means 90 in its retracted position, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Disengagement of the hook means 90 from the plate 43 is prevented by an abutment in the form of a wooden ball 104 threaded onto the inner end of the shank portion 92 of the hook means 90.

In order to prevent garments mounted in the bag from becoming displaced or bunched up when the bag is in transit or during handling thereof, resilient retaining means is provided. Such retaining means preferably comprises at least one elongated elastic member such as a length of shock cord 106 (FIG. 6) extending between the side portions 16 and 17 of the frame and at least one other elongated elastic member such as another length of shock cord 107 (FIG. 3) extending between the side portions 18 and 19 of the frame 15.

The shock cord 106 has a central portion 108 thereof extending parallel to and secured to the frame side portion 17, and portions 113 and 114 extending from the respective ends of the portion 108. The portions 113 and 114 preferably extend diagonally across the open area of the frame from the side portion 17 to the side portion 16 in crisscross fashion. To this end, the frame portions 16 and 17 may be provided with two pairs of spaced clips 115 for securing the portion 108 of the cord 106 to the frame portion 17 and to provide connections for the free ends of the portions 113 and 114 thereof.

As best seen in FIG. 7, each clip 115 preferably comprises a metal loop 116, generally oval in cross section, and adapted to enclose a portion of the frame 15. When the loop 116 is rigidly secured, as by welding, to the frame 15, an open area 117 is defined between the adjacent periphery of the frame and the inner wall of the loop. The loops 116 are preferably secured to the portions 16 and 17 of the frame 15 so that the open areas 117 thereof are disposed toward the rear portion 27 of the cover 21. Thus, when the shock cord 106 is threaded through the open areas 117 of the clips 115 on the frame portion 17, the central portion 108 thereof is held closely adjacent and parallel to the frame ortion 17. The free ends of the diagonally extending portions 113 and 114 may be provided with hooks 118 to facilitate connection to the clips 115 on the frame portion 16.

The shock cord 107 likewise has a central portion 119 extending parallel to and secured to the side portion 19 of the frame 15 (FIG. 3) and portions 123 and 124 extending from the respective ends of the central portion 119. The portions 123 and 124 preferably extend across the open area of the frame from the side portion 19 to the side portion 18 in parallel relation. To this end, the side portions 18 and 19 of the frame are provided with tWo other pairs of clips 125 identical in construction to the clips 115, but rigidly secured to the frame portions 18 and 19 so that their open areas are disposed toward the front portion 26 of the cover. Thus, when the shock cord 107 is threaded through the open areas of the clips 125 on the frame portion 19, the central portion 119 is held closely adjacent and parallel to the frame portion 19. The free ends of the cord portions 123 and 124 may be provided with books 126 to facilitate engagement or disengagement of the ends from the clips 125 on the frame portion 18.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5 through 10, inclusive, the manner in which the bag 10 is packed to permit transportation of garments packed therein in an unwrinkled condition will now be described. Before packing is actually begun, the bag 10 is preferably mounted in an elevated position, such as on the upper edge 11 of a door 12 by engaging the hook portion 91 of the hook means 90 therewith, and the front portion 26 of the cover is folded back or rolled up and secured to the side portion 24 of the cover by the strap 29. If the tooks 126 at the free ends of the portions 123 and 124 of the shock cord 107 are connected to their respective clips 125 on the frame portion 18, these are disconnected and allowed to hang down as in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Assuming that the hangers 42 and accessory clothes bag 70 have been removed from the bag 10 and are hanging from a conventional support bar or book with articles of clothing mounted thereon, each hanger 42 is mounted in the bag 10 by swinging the hook 54 thereof on the hanger frame so that the ball 56 thereof extends upwardly from the apex of the frame and inserting the ball 56 through one of the openings 57 in a tube 44. The hangers 42 are preferably alternately mounted in the tubes 44 to offset the garments and minimize bulk, as previously described. When mounted in the tubes 44, the hangers are shifted rearwardly toward the criss-crossed portions 113 and 114 of the shock cord 106.

Assuming that the desired number of hangers have been mounted in the bag 10, the accessory clothes bag 70 and its contents may then be mounted by swinging the hook assembly thereof on the frame 73 and inserting both balls 84 of the double shank portion 82 through a corresponding pair of the openings 57 in the tubes 44, usually the front openings. After the bag 70 has been mounted in the bag 10, the portions 123 and 124 of the shock cord 107 are extended over the accessory bag 70 and secured in position by engaging the hooks 126 at the ends thereof with their respective clips 125 on the frame portion 18 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3. Thereafter, the front portion 26 of the cover 21 may be rolled down and secured in place by the slide fastener 28. The bag 10 is then removed from its elevated support, the hook means retracted and secured by the strap 102, and the bag is then ready for use and may be conveniently carried by the rope handles 36.

Due to the compression force exerted by the shock cords 106 and 107, garments mounted on the hangers 42, as well as the accessory clothes bag 70 and its contents, are compacted and retained within the periphery of the frame 15. Because the compression force exerted by the cords 106 and 107 is distributed over a large area, the garments remain unwrinkled, even when the bag 10 is subjected to the jostling and jarring usually encountered during transitrMoreover, because the shock cords 106 and 107 are close to each other, they are effective to retain either a few or many garments mounted in the bag in an unwrinkled condition.

It will thus be apparent from the foregoing description that the bag 10 is capable of transporting a number of garments in an unwrinkled and uncreased condition. Moreover, because the bag 10 utilizes a rigid frame 15 as its basic structural element, the various components of the bag, such as the support pads 32, the rope handles 36, the hanger support structure 43-44, and the hook means 90 may all be mounted on or supported by the frame 15. A simplified and inexpensive construction is thus realized. Such construction also permits the cover 21 to be secured to and positioned on the frame without supplemental fasteners, due to the clamping action of the support pads 32 and plates 33 on the interposed parts of the side portion 22, and the extension of the shank portion 92 of the book 90 and the carrying handles 36 through the side portions 24 and 23, respectively, of the cover. In addition, the extensible and retractable hook means 90 permits the bag 10 to be mounted on an elevated support to facilitate loading and unloading of the bag or use thereof as a wardrobe.

While one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that modifications and variations thereof may be effected without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A luggage bag, comprising a unitary, generally rectangular, rigid support member having opposite, coplanar side portions, a flexible material cover enclosing said support member and adapted to protect garments carried within said bag, a plate rigidly secured to one side portion of said support member and having an opening therein, and extensible and retractable hook means movably carried by said plate and including a hook portion and a shank portion, said hook portion being disposed outside of said cover and adapted to engage an elevated support to suspend said bag therefrom, said shank portion extending through and being slidably mounted in said opening in said plate and serving to position and retain said cover around said frame.

2. A luggage bag, comprising a unitary, generally rectangular, rigid support member having opposite coplanar side portions, a flexible material cover enclosing said support member and adapted to protect garments carried within said bag, support means rigidly mounted on one of the side portions of said support member and adapted to receive and releasably retain a plurality of garment supporting hangers, and extensible and retractable hook means movably carried by said support means, said hook 15 means extending through said cover and being adapted to engage an elevated support to suspend said bag therefrom, said hook means also serving to position and retain said cover around said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,901,895 3/1933 Cheney.

1,960,454 5/1934 Ritter.

2,083,361 6/1937 Bronstien 190-58 2,718,943 9/1955 Braverman.

2,849,093 8/ 1958 Chesnut.

2,016,520 10/1935 Short 190-43 2,754,945 7/1956 Kish 190-43 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner 

